Drawn Together

Courtesy of the 2nd Bangkok Triennale International Print and Drawing Exhibition Organized by Silpakorn University

Power of the pen: Thai artist Anupong Chantorn's prizewinning Hope in the Dark

It took 12 years to open Bangkok's first modern art museum. It may take even longer to figure out how best to fill it.

Since the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre claimed its place last fall among a row of immense shopping malls, its spiraling white walls have remained largely empty. Bottom-floor spaces meant for art-related retail and classes are still unfilled, and there is no permanent collection as yet. In some sort of self-reflexive homage, the vaunted top gallery is currently exhibiting a 13,000-ft. (4,000 m) trail of protest messages painted...